STAR test results for Napa County schools

Home » News » Local

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Comment

Listed in the table below is every Napa County school and the percentage of students who tested "Proficient" or above (at grade level) in the 2007 STAR tests.

You can sort the table by school or by each category — English, Math, Science and History — from best to worst performing school or worst to best performing on the standardized tests given each year at each C

alifornia school.

For detailed test scores for each school at each grade level, you can access the state Department of Education's test results at star.cde.ca.gov/star2007/Viewreport.asp

Click here to load this Caspio Bridge DataPage.

68 comment(s)

Holy Cow! wrote on Aug 17, 2007 2:57 PM:

" For the majority of the schools I would have to say PU! "

Mt. George Parent wrote on Aug 17, 2007 3:06 PM:

" WAY TO GO Mt. George!!!!! We are sooooo proud of our little school and all these AMAZING and BRIGHT children!!!!! "

Concerned wrote on Aug 17, 2007 3:13 PM:

" How can the district justify such poor figures? Look at the few alternative schools' scores. What are they doing that the regular schools aren't? I suspect the difference is parental involvement. When you take the time to secure enrollment in an alternative school, you take the time to ensure your child is doing the work! Parents -- GET INVOLVED IN YOUR KIDS' EDUCATION. "

native wrote on Aug 17, 2007 4:04 PM:

" the sad truth about these results is that there such a large range of scores within one school district---I have absolutely no confidence whatsoever in NVUSD--these scores are absolutely shameful. The lessons my kids were taught at Napa High were the same things I studied in the 7th grade--Never, ever, ever would I put a child into public schools--this is a joke of our taxpayers dollars. "

WOW wrote on Aug 17, 2007 8:55 PM:

" I want to say congratualtions to all the hard working teachers in the Napa Unified School District !!! Thanks for all that you do !!! "

Richard wrote on Aug 17, 2007 10:03 PM:

" The elephant isn't just in the living room, they're in the classroom as well. Is it really so hard to figure out? Our growing Latino population has their own cultural differences. They assume a role in our society that does not value education, generally, to the same extent that the anglo crowd does. So who's having a heart attack here? As our percentage of english learners increases, what would you expect the scores to look like? Given what they're working with, I'm surprised that our educational system is doing as well as it is. In real estate it's location. In education it's the families...period! And when is comes to our families (remember, we're all the children of immigrants) it's all about assimilation. Do you want to jump on the "opportunity bandwagon" and move ahead, or is third world OK with you? The answer is in the scores! "

George wrote on Aug 17, 2007 10:14 PM:

" These scores mainly reflect the economic status of the neighborhood of the elementary schools. The middle and high schools are all pretty close, drawing on a less exclusive population, except River, which has a parent involvement component which also makes a difference in the elementary schools. When the work that teachers do is valued economically the way we value the work of lawyers and other educated professionals, the brightest young people will choose to become teachers instead of lawyers, the test scores will go up, and we will all be better off. "

thank you teachers wrote on Aug 17, 2007 10:44 PM:

" Ignorance...look into the NCLB disgusting political strings that holds/suffocates this district, teachers, and ultimately students. Look into the the demographics of each school...it is NOT an even playing field. It is unfair to pass judgement on those schools that support a high number of ELL's. Scoring proficient on a culturally-biased standardized test is not the ultimate means of assessing learning. I thank ALL the dedicated teachers of NVUSD that do NOT discriminate, or frown upon teaching and inspiring English Language Learners and all students! "

Richard wrote on Aug 17, 2007 11:17 PM:

" Increase their pay! Get better teachers! Spend more on teacher training! More tests! Less tests! Hey, I've got news for you...it's not what's happening in the classroom that's making a difference. Our community is NOT becoming more diverse; haven't you read the headlines! Let's get some more of the kids from India here...If they came, and our scores went way up, would that mean our teachers were doing better? (How large of a desk do you need to fit an elephant?) P.S. And before the parents of River feel the urge to think their kids are doing so well, compare your school with others in the state with the same demographics...oops. (Parental involvement in the schools needs to be more that just keeping them away form other groups) "

George, with due respect, wrote on Aug 18, 2007 7:32 AM:

" baloney. These scores are not about neighborhoods. The simple truth is that the less privileged do attend their nearby neighborhood schools, while students with concerned parents transfer to one of the handful of top performing schools and then those same concerned parents drive their kids to school, often out of their own neighborhoods, every single school day. Buses aren't provided for intra-district transfers. Key concept here is "concerned parents!" "

b wrote on Aug 18, 2007 7:54 AM:

" Way to go Mt. George students & teachers! "

New Tech Parent wrote on Aug 18, 2007 8:19 AM:

" Congrats New Tech.....It's obvious with your scores you are doing it correctly. Maybe the other High Schools should take note? "

Patrick wrote on Aug 18, 2007 10:13 AM:

" Congratulations to Mount George. They're setting the bar for all the other schools to follow. As a small school they have that advantage. Sorry folks but you can thank the "English Learners" for the anchor that is firmly attached to our children's futures. Unless your sons and daughters have excelled early and are fortunate enough to be in honors classes they will be stuck in the quagmire that is turning our once great state into a third-world refuge. I'm beginning to believe that "the home of the brave" is becoming the home of the weak, timid and weak. "

To Richard wrote on Aug 18, 2007 10:49 AM:

" How ignorant of you to generalize that the Latino population does not value education, we DO and as the educator that I am I also teach my students to ignore and use comments like yours to motivate them as prove to everyone that against all odds they can succeed. Assimilate you say, well most Latinos are not blond, blue eyes, so reality is even if they assimilate, society is so that they will not look past the color of their skin. Test scores as I am sure you are aware of only compare students to each other and do not tell us what students know. "

Steph wrote on Aug 18, 2007 12:13 PM:

" Until I see test scores from the private schools, I won't declare the public schools to be second-rate. How ridiculous to compare when there is no comparison. There is a lot of work to be done, however, that much is obvious. I see low test scores as a reflection of parents' achievement as much or more so than the teachers'. I guess it's time to get creative. "

Michelle wrote on Aug 18, 2007 1:42 PM:

" Hey New Tech Parent...You're comparing apples with tamarindos. Compare your school's scores with groups of the same social background and maybe you'd see that the other schools aren't doing as badly as they seem. THESE SCORES SHOW ONE THING!!! ASSIMILATION! You're either choosing to, or not. "

Please look closer wrote on Aug 18, 2007 4:15 PM:

" Yes, congrats to Mt. George Elementary! Yet if you really examine what is going on here you will find that this school is doing well not just because of its teachers, but because the student demographics are nearly 85% white. Compare that to the lowest performers like McPherson, Shearer, and Pueblo Vista where you will see just the opposite demographics, 85% Latino. What does this tell us? That white English speaking kids taught by white English speaking teachers perform exceptionally, while Spanish speaking kids taught by English speaking teachers do not do so well. The handicap here is that the latter group is tested on both their subject matter knowledge and their ability to understand academic English. This is not a level playing field for useful testing data. What needs to be measured is how much growth second language learners make each year…a more difficult task for the bean counters! Like it or not, cultural demographics in our community are changing and the challenges for the educational system are enormous. We need to deal with it, encourage our second language neighbors to become academically English proficient, and quit this ridiculous blame game. We are all immigrants! "

Richard wrote on Aug 18, 2007 5:39 PM:

" I stand by what I say. Irritating? Yes! Ignorant? No! Why do we have to have an additional week off for Christmas? Why do kids from India immigrate and start winning spelling bees within months? Why, despite changes within our educational system, is the performance gap staying the same? My parents from southern Europe didn't have the blond hair and blue eyes you tout as so idealic, why weren't they discriminated into educational oblivion? I'm not saying that any of these children are "bad" or that someone is at "fault" but let's be real here. These scores reflect the changing social values of a changing population. "

Reality Check wrote on Aug 18, 2007 6:16 PM:

" Dear Educator, This "victim" mentality has got to stop. Our educational system is not an "overcoming all odds" but a "super highway to opportunity," How many other families in India and China would love the chance to have their children "face the terrible oppression" of being a English Language Learner here in the Napa Valley? You're a teacher? Maybe the EL students of Napa are the victims of racism...the worst kind; low-expectations. "

perplexed wrote on Aug 18, 2007 6:43 PM:

" Hey wait a minute; after reading and analyzing the SF Chronicle STAR results and the STAR official reports it seems that Vichy outscores Mount George in English though Mount George is higher in Math. Any takers? "

get real wrote on Aug 18, 2007 7:33 PM:

" I agree with encouraging the non-English speakers to speak ENGLISH!! Let's also start encouraging them to get green cards, pay taxes, get driver's licenses, and slow down on the gang violence!! We may be mostly immigrants....but look at our ancestors and the great strides they made in learning the language of their beloved new country! With not nearly as much laziness or rebellion as today's immigrants. The US has made it way too easy for immigrants to carry the "what is owed to them" attitude. Unfortunately, the children of these immigrants who are legal citizens, are going to follow suit, as they are not being taught anything better! "

fellow druid wrote on Aug 18, 2007 11:21 PM:

" Way to go Stonebridge! For those that think it is all about assisimilation-there is a group that don't want anything to do with the rest of us. They carved up Salvador and took money away from the rest of the district. But, I guess not teaching reading until the third grade works; it still keeps you above the NVUSD average! "

Student wrote on Aug 19, 2007 1:30 AM:

" I am a student at Vintage High School and even after seeing all of the results that we have for the STAR testing I still believe it to be a fantastic school that has given me great opportunities. To be honest, I believe that what anyone scores on a test does not show how much they know in life. Personally, taking a test at 8 o'clock in the morning after already taking a class before that and being made to sit in a classroom for 2 or so hours is a bit ridiculous. Every year we are told to sit patiently and to listen to instructions on how to better ourselves and earn funding for our schools. What I do not understand is, why if a school does poorly on STAR testing do they receive less funding? Would you not think that, having poor scores, you would want to increase the funding for better supplies and for a better learning environment? Sadly, it is only the opposite. My point is, I do not feel it is right for people to bash the schools of Napa Valley due to the test scores they produce. I admit I am not the best student, I get some what decent grades and I do the classes that are required, but I have never understood why test scores should matter. If the teacher is good and can teach your child anything, let it be a life lesson or something from a text book, make that matter instead. This year I had learned so much in so many of my classes but no paper is going to tell you that. Now, let me as you this. If you were to do this test, like we are forced to do every spring, would you honestly score better? "

Former Vintage HS Student wrote on Aug 19, 2007 2:43 AM:

" I may not be as knowledgeable about this issue as most adults, however I did take these tests for 3 years. From a strictly student standpoint, these tests are basically a hassle. Sure we might get a reward for raising our score, but when STAR testing comes up, the word out of most people's mouth is "uhhhhhhhh, more standardized tests". I was a motivated student at my HS, taking honors and AP, and I HATED those tests. How would adults feel to take tests on basic opperations of their job and topics related to their job, then be compared to adults of other areas? Then not only have to endure those tests once, but have to take multiple ones, every year. Finally, to add insult to injury, if results were poor, your employer received less money, so they were forced to cut hours of vacation for employees(like the cutting of electives in some high schools) and replace it with classes meant to raise test scores. However, if scores improved, your employer received more money, but that may or may not affect you directly depending on where that funding is allocated. Now would you really feel motivated to keep doing those tests and keep doing them well? Of course I realize that there are other aspects of this issue, but I feel that the root of this problem is the whole idea behind these tests and the No Child Left Behind Act. Both of them are flawed for they don’t take into account the true diversity of the public school system, whether it be race, student motivation, varying school situations/locations, and many other factors. These factors are simply ignored by standardized tests, but do affect the scores. In conclusion, I believe that the concept of these tests needs to be rethought and diversified and in doing so, make them a more positive and helpful tool in assessing schools. "

Bill wrote on Aug 19, 2007 8:35 AM:

" Wow, I am shocked by the scores and shocked that people keep blaming the system, the language etc. What about the parents??? Ever do homework with your child ....consistently???? You expect a government to not only teach your children academics many of you expect these teachers to raise your children for you.Yes, California is slipping fast and so is our beloved country..Napa as well.Lost of bitter, negative and irresponsible people who like to blame everyone else for their own shortcomings and the shortcomings of their children. It will get worse before it gets better. Get involved or shut up. "

Napan wrote on Aug 19, 2007 8:56 AM:

" Isn't English the primary language taught in India? Wasn't India a colony of the great British Empire? Perhaps that explains why students from India come to our country and score so well as opposed to latinos who come from a spanish speaking country. Making the comparison between those two is asinine. "

2% above average? wrote on Aug 19, 2007 11:28 AM:

" What a joke. 2 or 3% above average. And what about Vintage and Napa High scores? Is Tech the only high school or are the others so abysmal that they are embarrassed to print them? 4 school bonds on our taxes, half the county budget goes to education, half the state budget goes to education, the lottery funding...where does it all go? Why are our schools so bad? The truth is that if students don't learn the teachers have not taught. The teachers union is totally against excellence in schools and totally dedicated to teacher pay and benefits. "

This proves NCLB is good wrote on Aug 19, 2007 11:33 AM:

" We are getting test scores of totally unaccptable levels for the amount of tax funds poured onto the schools. Test scores are proving that teachers are not teaching...that is why teachers decry No Child Left Behind. The community now can easily tell at a glance how bad our schools are. We can read the test scores and we aren't baffled by the smoke screens of the school administration and the teachers union. "

NVR Moderator wrote on Aug 19, 2007 11:37 AM:

" Perplexed: The Chronicle only showed one grade's test scores. This is the overall number for each school combined. You can click the link listed to see each grade level for each school. "

napkin wrote on Aug 19, 2007 2:08 PM:

" I do homework with my child consistently---always have. Ever year I am more and more appalled at the curriculum my child is presented with. My experience with Napa High is that there is one goal only---get the kids graduated--nothing extra, nothing more. The subject matter my child brings home (11th grade level) is the same material I learned in the 7th grade. The kids love it because they have it easy and don't have to work too hard---the sad fact is that they will pay when they attempt to go to college and actually learn something. The sad thing is that this community has so much money and education is just not a priority. Many of the high school kids don't even think about what to do after graduation until about a week before. Parents can help the situation, but unless you choose to home school your kids, you're stuck with the junk curriculum provided by NVUSD---I would fire the entire administration and start over. "

perplexed wrote on Aug 19, 2007 5:27 PM:

" I come from a state where education is at the forefront of the whole community. My children have been in the Napa County School District from the start and to be honest I have been fighting to get them the same rights as all the non-english speaking children. My son knew how to read and write at a high level in first grade and was left on his own because there were so many other children in the class who couldn't speak the language. I pushed to have him moved up or at least into a class with less of a language barrier but I was looked at like a horrible monster of a parent. Not everyone in the Valley can afford private school and I am not convinced that they are the answer but there has to be some basic levels met before being alowed to start school. My kids have learned very little of American History, outside of California History, Science is sorely lacking, and Math???? They should be finding ways to relate math to real world applications. I can count a whole 2 teachers that actually went out of their way to really teach my children. One teacher's homework philosophy was that she wasn't doing her job if the children had more than 1/2 hour of homework a night, and it should only be review. Now days teacher's can't seem to handle the students. The harrassment my son received at RLS in SH was horrid and no steps were taken to correct the problem. We wonder why kids are so angry and destructive. Parents don't parent anymore, teachers don't teach anymore and administrators just line their pockets. "

Mom of 4.5 GPA Napa High Student wrote on Aug 19, 2007 6:47 PM:

" The smartest people here are using the screen names "Student" and "Former Vintage HS Student" and I applaud their reasoning. The best and the brightest draw from all life has to offer. One test, one day, does not measure the value of a person; does not account for the school memories and knowledge stored, overall GPA, or the life lessons learned from mentors. I am so tired of blogs bashing Napa's youth and NVUSD's brilliant teachers. Take a walk in their shoes or zip it. "

to 'mom of 4.5 student.' wrote on Aug 20, 2007 7:04 AM:

" I think it's vital that so many people are interested in and have opinions about local schools and school results. Many of us will either hire or work alongside people whose education is via local schools; the school outcomes absolutely have a huge impact on all of us. Do you really believe that before any member of the public (remember us? we're the ones who pay the bills for the school system!) can comment on what he/she is paying for, that commentator must first either re-enroll in high school or get a job as a teacher? No one else is allowed to speak? Maybe you've been up to your neck in school philosophies too long and have forgotten that this is America, land of free speech. "

Judy wrote on Aug 20, 2007 8:09 AM:

" When we first moved to AC from Minnesota my three children attended Napa Junction. My surprise came when we were told they were considered "special needs" because they were 100% English speaking. their classrooms were taught in Spanish. Quickly moved them over to Donalson Way where English is the language. "

hey mom of 4.5 Napa High Student wrote on Aug 20, 2007 8:25 AM:

" best of luck in the future to your "brilliant" child. I had several go through Napa High with very high GPA's also---they thought they were brillant too--UNTIL they started college and discovered how many they were NOT taught in Napa. I would love to hear from you in a couple of years down the road---I wouldn't be puffing myself up too much--there's a long road ahead for your child--believe me--once you walk in those shoes you'll be able to understand. "

way to go new tech!!! wrote on Aug 20, 2007 9:17 AM:

" WAY TO GO NEW TECH AND THANKS TO THE TEACHERS!!!!! WE LOVE NEW TECH!!!! "

concerned... wrote on Aug 20, 2007 9:31 AM:

" It's simple really. TEACH, not teach to the test. If you teach the curriculum, the tests should be easy. When did we get away from that? We are developing a nation of children who test, not learn. All the money the govt. pours into education, and we are below the 50th percentile....that is embarassing. And, on the immigration line...learn ENGLISH, this isn't Mexico. That's a poor excuse for a low test score. If you learned the language, parents included, you wouldn't have this issue. Immigrants from Europe learned the language and embraced it...you don't see that here, only the excuses. Quit making excuses..parents, start parenting and be aware of what your kids are doing. That way you can justify your blaming the teachers. Until then, keep your mouth shut. "

mominapa wrote on Aug 20, 2007 11:21 AM:

" First of all, I agree with the person who said that not everyone can afford to send their kids to private school. Most people use that terminology to describe Catholic schools. They are not private, they are parochial schools which means they are part of a district, the same as the public schools. All public schools offer free education. Catholic schools survive on tuition and donations. Private schools are independent of other schools so check before you decide to send your kid to a private or parochial school. The test scores prove that the more money in a district, the higher the scholastic standing. Nothing is equal. Star testing tells us nothing about the quality of the education or the intelligence of the students, only where the rich kids go to school. "

European Educational Model wrote on Aug 20, 2007 9:55 PM:

" Why dont we just do what Europe is doing? On average, European students test much higher than American Students (along with most of the Eastern European Countries as well) and yet we spend more per student than any of these countries. They allow Charters, they utilize the voucher system (which the Union has fought against with millions in negitive ad compaigns, against a system that actually works) their schools compete, and their teachers and administrators are held accountable for their student's performance. The Teachers Unions has fought agressively utilizing tens of millions of dollars against each one of these ideas that has been proven to work extremely well in Europe and other countries as well. Has anyone watched the 20/20 Documentary "Stupid in America" by John Stossel? If not, google-it and watch some of the clips. You will be amazed. The Unions fight any attempt to alter the statuesque if it in anyway hold teachers and the district "accountable" for their students’ performance. Even after conducting private "pilot programs" that took schools performing in the bottom 7% of the country and within 2 short years had these same students performing in the top 10%, the unions still fought against implementing this model. Why? It held the people accountable that are teaching. How much money is enough? If students in Russia are outperforming American students and they are paying considerably less per student than we are, what is it? Needless to say, my kids are going to be getting their education in Europe. We're loosing this education battle my friends. The Europeans and Asians are winning. If we dont do something about, we will all pay the price sooner or later. "

Wondering wrote on Aug 21, 2007 12:48 PM:

" Why aren't those struggling children being held back to repeat a grade or two? This was the common practice when I was a kid in elementary school and I know that in some cases is still being done. My grandson (not an EL student) is being held back in kindergarten because his teachers felt he needs more time learning letters and numbers. Rather than send him on to what would amount to torture for him and the end result of that would be that he learned to HATE school forever, he is being held back and when the end of this year rolls around, he will move up and be much more confident and excited about school. They are correct and this was done for his benefit, not somebody's scorecard. I think that using non english speaking students as an excuse for low test scores is shameful and unfair. It is the teachers responsibility to teach ALL their students and if they need to repeat a year of school, it's the teachers responsibility make that recommendation. If the parent of these children refuse accept this, then it's on them and they are doing their children no favors by pushing them into a situation where they are bound to fail. Children who can't succeed in school will become the children that cause trouble for their teachers and the other students. I don't agree with illegal immigration "rights", but if these children are going to be here, we should be sure that they receive a good education so that by the time they are legalized, they can become good and self sufficient citizens of this country. "

BEBE wrote on Aug 21, 2007 3:52 PM:

" I agree with Richard....3wks off for Christmas vacation~~~for what??? "

Sandra wrote on Aug 22, 2007 8:01 AM:

" Vichy, and Mt. George...way to go! I would be interested to hear from the teachers. Why do you think your schools scored so high? What is the demographics of your student body? Is your curriculim different in some way? What is the percentage on non-english learners? What is the parent involvement? AND if no teachers respond to this question, I think it would be very interesting for the register to pursue this further and find some answers to these questions. There are a lot of claims made by some posters, some I'm inclined to believe may be right. So let's find out. "

educational system wrote on Aug 22, 2007 9:54 AM:

" My oldest son is now almost 25. But when he was in kindergarten, they tested his academic skills, told me he was brilliant, and said he should move on. However, as his mother I knew that he was not 'socially' mature and I stuck with my gut feeling that he needed an extra year in kindergarten. This was the right decision and it became quite apparent as time passed. My youngest son, on the other hand, was able to skip ahead and it was the right thing for him to do. Parents need to be part of the decision making process. These are OUR children and we cannot simply hand all decision making over to teachers and administrators. There are way too many students for the individual needs of a student to be addressed. If our educational system cannot do the job right, another alternative is homeschooling. I decided to take the task on myself with my youngest child even though I lacked a background in education. He's 17 now and will soon have 46 college (UC transferable) units behind him with a 3.85 GPA by the end of this semester. It pays to take charge when the academic system is failing. I also believe that our educational system should be set up as levels rather than grades, where students can accelerate through the system as quickly as they want, or, they can choose to take their time. If any student falls back two levels or more, remedial help is in order and extra resources will need to be applied to that particular student. Education should not be a one size fits all system. Young parents will have to fight for change otherwise it will NEVER happen. I say 'young' because their children are the most affected by poor education. Older people whose kids have been through the system do not have the same incentive for change. "

sorry wrote on Aug 22, 2007 10:59 AM:

" Public schools have the burden of teaching all students. In this community that means kids that don't speak english, parents of kids that do not speak english, special needs kids and kids with no home support. The public school system has an impossible task with todays standards being imposed by politicians with little financial funding. "

Steph wrote on Aug 22, 2007 11:41 AM:

" Vichy parents are very actively involved in the school, helping in the classroom with paperwork, art projects, small-group instruction, even tutoring in reading. This is a the social expectation of the school community--not mandated, just known and felt--and all the children benefit behaviorally and academically from having caring mothers and fathers present in the school. Many, but not all, of the parents have achieved a higher education and many are stay-at-home or part-time mothers and even fathers. The expectation set by the parents is that their children behave in school and pay attention to the teachers and do their very best. The teachers are universally excellent at Vichy--they are bright, caring, patient, and loving. Demographically, many students come from a middle-to-higher socioeconomic background, but those who don't benefit from the environment anyway. I've seen non-English speaking children immersed in English-language classes, and learn English very quickly out of necessity, but the expectation at home was high, and the children were gifted at mathematics in their native language already, so these children have done very well. I've seen children struggle at Vichy, but usually there were social problems at home, causing emotional instability. It's sad to see. But it's a supportive environment for all the kids, especially those who struggle for whatever reason, because of the presence of concerned and nurturing parents. Thankfully, Vichy is open to children from all over Napa, not just the surrounding neighborhood. When parents care enough, no matter what their economic background, to seek the best education for their children, it is reflected in the school community and the academic success, turning the school into a real draw. I consider myself lucky to have had this school available to my children and their friends. My own son scored a perfect 600 on his STAR math test, thanks to his gifted teachers. His last teacher there has a doctorate degree in education! I can't imagine there is a private school in Napa that would have provided a better education. Go Vikings! "

To Steph wrote on Aug 22, 2007 10:34 PM:

" You stated, "I've seen children struggle at Vichy, but usually there were social problems at home, causing emotional instability." I'm sorry to say this, but that statement is such an across the board generalization about students who struggle academically, it makes my blood boil. Most students who struggle have some sort of learning difference which hasn't been identified. To suggest that they are from an emotionally unstable environment is what's really sad. Our school systems treat all students as though they learn best within a certain parameter. There are different types of intelligence you know. Some kids should start school a little later because their brains have not yet matured structurally compared to other kids their age. These kids can suddenly learn very well when they hit adolescence (due to snipping away of unnecessary brain tissue) but they have been treated so poorly (and their families have been blamed) for so long that they are completely turned off to anything related to academics. There is a huge amount of pressure on parents when their kids are poor academic performers. These parents in turn pressure their kids to perform. It's a damaging cycle between academic institutions, kids and their families. What came first the chicken or the egg? Well, do you consider people willfully less intelligent than others? Truth is that we are born with certain limitations for learning and the capacity is genetically determined. Sure, environment can and does play a role. But it's synonymous with filling several different sized balloons up with water. There's a point where a balloon will burst because it has been pushed beyond it's capacity. But a bigger balloon will be able to hold more water. People's brains were wired for different types of evolutionarily determined tasks long ago. There is no right or wrong. It just is. Our brain capacity is predetermined just like hair and eye color. But it has *some* flexibility due to environment. It's that *flexibility* which makes us think less intelligent people should become increasingly intelligent. But we are wrong in our assumptions about intelligence. "

Steph wrote on Aug 23, 2007 10:32 AM:

" I apologise if I hurt anyone's feelings. I believe children are individuals and deserve to be treated as such. I do believe there are certain predictors of academic success, and having a peaceful home is high on the list. You are right that not all children who struggle have social problems at home. But if a child is having problems at school, and their home life is less than optimal (no father at home, parents fighting, parents abusing drugs or alcohol, parents too busy with work or hobbies to spend time with their kids) then it's really unfair for those parents to blame the school first for the child's "inability" to learn. Same is true when the expectations are low and have been low all along. When children don't do their homework, or don't read, or bring home below-average grades, and the parents don't explore how to correct this, then, again, it's not fair to blame the teacher or the school. Parents can blame all they want; blame won't help their kids. If you have a child with a true learning disability, such as a processing difficulty like dyslexia, and the school is no help, does not offer any resources, and you've begged and pleaded in person for this help, then you have a legitimate gripe. If you're willing to put in the time to ensure your own child has the best possible chances for at LEAST average academic success--you talk with your kids and laugh with them and play and read and discuss what-ifs of life, for example--then your kids have a better chance of success in whatever they do. In schools where most parents understand and abide by this, you have higher average test scores. I absolutely don't agree that most children who struggle academically are less intelligent or learn differently. I believe that most of the disparity between schools can be explained by ESL prevalence and low expectations, where culturally, many parents do not understand that higher education is attainable and profitable. "

New to public school wrote on Aug 23, 2007 10:42 AM:

" Monday was the first day in public school for my child. The first thing my child said when asked about the first day was "I'm worried it's going to be to easy." The second thing was how astonished my child was at the lack of respect of the other students. I know not everyone has the benefit of affording private school, but we all have the ability to teach our children right from wrong. What we got out of private school was that you get what you expect out of your children. I am a strict mother who works full time so that my children could/can go to private school. They are required to have manners, show respect and take pride in their school work. I think as parents we forget to ask of our children what we want. As to the Vichy and Mt George schools. I have friends with children at both schools they are all dual working full time parents who put their children first. One mom works well into the night all the time on fundraisers, activities and so on so that her children reao the benefits at school. It really is all in what we put into it. The teacher sre only capable of so much. "

to "sorry," wrote on Aug 23, 2007 11:02 AM:

" Inadequate funding? Are you joking?? Half of this year's California general fund goes to education. We have crummy roads and forever hear that law enforcement will be cut, health programs will be cut, ad nauseum, and these entities are all sharing the remaining half of the money. And you seriously want even MORE for education? How about dropping the requirement for superintendents for each and every district whether large or itty-bitty? There are a lot of tiny districts in the state and one of them is in your county. Think of ways to liberate wasted funds and THEN come back and argue for more than half! "

Tom wrote on Aug 23, 2007 11:50 AM:

" Looking at the high school results, someone very high on the District totem needs to be fired. Only 19% of the students at Vintage test "Proficient" in math. Are you kidding me? There is no "cultural bias" excuse for that. It's math. This 19% result means that 81% of students at Vintage can not solve "7x=21, what is x?" Someone very high in the chain of command needs to be fired to get the message accross that such results are absolutely unacceptable. Superintendant Glaser, we're looking you way. "

what Richard? wrote on Aug 23, 2007 1:01 PM:

" Richard- I read your posting about River and have no idea what you are talking about. At River we teach the content but spend weeks or even months looking beyond the content at real world problems. River kids are doing well. They know the material and look beyond the books to see what is going on in the world. On another note- parent participation has nothing to do with forming groups. At River we try to teach acceptance and tolerance, no matter what group other people may place you in. "

Good Students wrote on Aug 23, 2007 1:45 PM:

" I must say, I did not read every comment posted here, but I thought those posted by "Student" and "Former Vintage HS Student" were two of the most thoughtful, intelligent and well written. Perhaps our schools are not so bad after all. "

if its about language wrote on Aug 23, 2007 4:44 PM:

" Why isn't Napa valley language academy near the top? don't they teach a "spanish immersion" program? Isn't math taught in Spanish there? Is that school full of Spanish as second language or "spanish learners" or is it full of native spanish speakers using a charter school loophole in order to get their primary education in their native tongue? regardless, the results of NVLA are on a par with the district average, which isn't saying much. "New Technology" High is only 19% proficient in Math - yikes! "

Dear Michelle wrote on Aug 23, 2007 10:12 PM:

" Look again at New Tech. The model they use has also had terrific results in some of the toughest schools in LA. It is the way they teach, not who they teach,that makes the difference. "

R. Anderson wrote on Aug 23, 2007 11:31 PM:

" Boy there sure is a lot of finger pointing here. Whenever our kids had trouble in school we literally threw out the television and had reading time every night. Three kids and I threw away three televisions. The kids are all grown and have done pretty well in college. I wonder how many of the finger pointers here love there children enough to get rid of video games and television. I can there the excuses already. Stop complaining and get involved with your community and your children! "

Fault or indicator wrote on Aug 24, 2007 8:08 AM:

" I have read the thoughtful comments posted here. A few seem to get it right. Learning start at home. Show me a good student and I'll show you a student with active parent(s) or has a dedicated mentor. If we want kids to do better then we have to participate in their education more. Spend a day in any school and you'll see what I'm talking about. The test results are an indicator of home shortcomings not of bad teachers. "

To new to public schools wrote on Aug 24, 2007 11:07 PM:

" I wouldn't judge your child's school experience on the first day. The teachers have to make it as simple as possible in order to accomodate all the kids - ranging from the ones who have been in preschool for three years to the ones who have never been in a classroom in their lives. That may not be so much the case with private schools, where they can pick who gets to attend. It takes a little while to see where everyone is as far as ability. Be patient (and work in your childrens' classrooms and school!). Like you said, that's what makes the difference. "

Situation not black & white wrote on Aug 25, 2007 1:49 PM:

" I was a stay at home mom who was involved with my son's school. I worked in the classroom and attended all meeting and fundraisers. My son still had a learning difference which involved difficulty with auditory processing. Yes, I will agree that involved parents do make a difference. If I hadn't stepped up to the plate for my son and been resourceful, the situation would have deteriorated. However, (some of you do not seem to get this point), a struggle with learning does not equate to poor or uninvolved parents. Students who have a learning difference often have parents with the same problem. Such parents are often not resourceful in an arena which they also struggled with during their own childhoods. These parents may be incredible loving and involved with their children in other areas such as sports but they are lost in the field of academics. We cannot fix the problem by blaming. Parents could be *taught* to help their kids at home; this approach would use less resources than hiring an aide in many cases. MANY students with learning difficulties have problems with language. If you listen to their parents speak, they say things such as, "I ain't got no...". The parents are modeling poor language skills and their offspring continue using the incorrect pattern and will probably pass it down to the next generation. These kids face a grim future in the workforce because one of the first impressions an employer has is of language ability. Kids at a very young age could use a speech class with an emphasis on correct language useage. Their parents would benefit from it to. In other words, enable the family to help the child. Ownership of the learning experience is super important too. Students who are constantly lectured *at* are not going to be as responsive as those who are sometimes allowed to offer input. Allowing students to lead once in awhile produces much more impressive results. "

To Tom wrote on Aug 26, 2007 11:00 PM:

" These test scores are obviously not a true representation of actual knowledge. There are several local HS students that have scored very high on their SAT's, because those test matter to them personally. Do you know how many students blow these test off because they know that it won't affect them or their desire to move on to college. I agree that some of the best comments have come from former NVUSD students. Parental involvement, socio-economic status and desire- things haven't changed people, the survival of the fittest is still in effect!I'll take a 18-20 student ratio(elem years) in the NVUSD classes verses the 30-35 in our local private schools. You cannot even begin to compare the two.It takes a village and our local village is made up of parents, students, nvusd employees and local business owners.One more thing, parents stop sending you young immature 4 year olds to school, we are the only state in the nation that allows a kindergartner to be 4 in December of their first year of school. Bite the bullet and pay for preschool, the kid will be better off in the long run. "

Steph wrote on Aug 27, 2007 11:38 AM:

" Some kids who do poorly in school have problems at home, but not all kids. Many kids who have a hard time in school do have learing disabilities or learn differently. I agree with that, and I'm sorry if I offended people who are working so hard with their children. And some kids who have problems at home, miraculously, do well in school. Kudos to the teachers who provide a haven to them all. "

napa mom wrote on Aug 28, 2007 8:32 AM:

" WOW! Our schools STINK. In response to "concerned" not only is parent involment a KEY in our childrens education, but the alternative classes do not seem to be stuck behind a language barrier. How could they? If parents are working in classes, they need to be able to communicate with teacher AND student alike. I think ENGLISH should be a REQUIREMENT at all of our schools. As a parent of 3 students in 2 different schools, I know where the problems lie. Teachers can only do so much. If parents can not communicate enough to help, the students suffer. And by the way, take a good look around at this valley and the deterioration of our communities. If the community/parents cares so little, why should the students? "

Congratulations! wrote on Aug 28, 2007 4:39 PM:

" First of all, i'd like to start of with a quote; America believes in eduaction: the average professor earns more money in a year than a professional athlete earns in a whole week. -Evan Esar I would like to congratulate all the students for thier hard work. You may not have gotten the A+ in the test but, continue to strive for what you want to become. And secondly, congratulations to all the teachers/instructors/professors AND administrators for bieng that role model in a child's life. We all got one, and most were our teachers. I'll end this with a quote, "He who opens a school door, closes a prison" -Victor Hugo "

Praise our educators wrote on Aug 28, 2007 8:47 PM:

" First of all, i chose to not be an educator because I do not have the patience to deal with kids especially the ones that parents can't even control themselves, secondly, I do not like to bring my work home. When the clock hits 5pm, work stays at work and family times began after. I am also tired of hearing people bashing the school systems that have the dual language emersion program. My question is why is it that children in Europe by the age of 8 years old, they are fluent in at least three languages??? I had the pleasure to have a foreign exchange student from Spain for the Summer. He was a High school student with two more years to go. Up until then, he had attended a French school, yes in Spain. So he was fluent in French. His English was nearly perfect and he was able to hold a German conversation. But yet, please forbid your child from learning Spanish. Yes, this is America and everyone should speak English. But why not widen your horizons and learn another language. Learn another foreing language, not to cater to "the illegals" but for your own good. Nobody is trying to take over the English language. By the way, I am trilingual. Who cares what language is spoken here, i can get through with Spanish and French. "knowledge is power" "

Mary wrote on Aug 28, 2007 10:33 PM:

" More proof of the degradation of our schools brought on by the massive influx of poverty-stricken, non-English speaking illegal aliens' children. As a native-born Caliornian in my 40s I remember when our schools where Number one in the nation, not down near the bottm. Funny, but that was also when we enforced our immigration laws. Coincidence? "

To Praise our Educators: wrote on Aug 29, 2007 6:48 AM:

" You miss the point with drawing parallels between us and Europe. In Europe, there is a reason why people like the Dutch speak three languages: get on the train and one hour later you NEED to speak German or French. In Europe as a whole, it's also an issue of communicating with geographic neighbors and enabling trade...it has nothing to do with the French wanting to "enjoy the cultural fruits" of Germany (at which they would generally laugh). And why does most of the under-40 crowd speak English in Europe? Two reasons: most of the global pop culture is in English, and English is also the de facto language of international business. It's also the common denominator for global communication. Plus, I don't know if you've actually BEEN to Europe (or been to Europe outside the big cities) but not every 8 year-old child under the great Schengen banner speaks three languages fluently. Sorry...that's just not reality. The point is not that multi-language education is bad. I'm also trilingual (to an extent) and think that it's valuable for travel. The point is that our schools are being punished for having to educate EVERYBODY, which is what public schools are supposed to do. They're having sanctions placed on them because Latin immigrants are NOT learning English, and they don't assimilate into our culture. This is the problem, and it's not xenophobic or racist to say so. Because of the number of right-over-the-border English learners, the scores suffer. New Tech didn't do poorly because parents have to actually make an effort for their kids to enroll there, so they already start with a better crop of students. Bottom line: the test results are a function of the non-English speaking community's presence here in Napa. The scores are also taken out of context without any explanation (typical of the stellar education reporting in this paper). "

TO Praise Our Educators wrote on Aug 29, 2007 8:08 AM:

" I totally agree. American kids should learn other languages in school. The problem I have, is spanish being forced because of the massive influx of illegal aliens. They don't want to learn English so we must accomodate them. Learning another language or languages should be emphasized but our kids should have a CHOICE in which language they would like to learn. "

TOO to Praise our Educators wrote on Aug 29, 2007 5:27 PM:

" Wonderful post on all counts...pure common sense...except for one minor point. The just-over-the-border-student is not the only one having issues in assimilation and language aquisition. Many of the schools are dealing with students that have been here for many years, and in some cases, are still found in the "newcomer" classes. "

I wonder wrote on Aug 29, 2007 11:28 PM:

" I wonder how many day this will be posted as one of the days top stories? A week? A month? As long as people keep commenting? Are the STAR test results from a week ago really front web page news every day? "

Join the conversation

*Member ID:
*Password:
Remember login? (requires cookies)
	Forgot Your Password?

Create an account

Comment Guidelines

The goal of the story comments section at NapaValleyRegister.com is to have an open, thought-provoking, civil community forum for all issues.

What gets your comment posted?

• Staying on topic

• Keeping your comment to 300 words or less

• Avoiding name-calling

• Addressing your comments to the message rather than the messenger

What gets your comment deleted?

• Personal attacks

• Derogatory remarks

• Name-calling of any sort

• Going off-topic

• Hate speech

• Racially-insensitive comments

• Implying guilt of a subject in a crime story before there is a court verdict

• Posting e-mail addresses

• Posting comments of a commercial nature

• POSTING WITH ALL CAPITAL LETTERS

• Linking multiple comments together with "to be continued..." to get around the 300 word limit.

The fine print

- Comments are either approved or denied. We do not edit comments.

- You are welcome to modify and resubmit a denied comment.

- Comments may take several hours to be posted.

- Comments posted are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of NapaValleyRegister.com, its employees or its parent company.

- Do you have information on a story? Please go to our virtual newsroom to send us a news tip.

- If you feel a posted comment has violated our guidelines, please contact online@napanews.com or add a comment indicating you have an issue and our moderators will review the comment in question.

Search: